


A Fighting Chance

by tianaluthien



Series: Project Neal [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dead isn't dead, F/M, Fix-It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, My ship don't need no canon, SwanThief, Swanfire - Freeform, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-28
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-03-20 02:21:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3633075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tianaluthien/pseuds/tianaluthien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Swanfire fix-it fic. Set at the end of 3x15, Quiet Minds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fighting Chance

It hurt.

It fucking _hurt._

Why did magic take such bloody pleasure in squeezing the life out of you?

“No. No no no—”

He latches onto the sound of her voice, claws his way out of the muck, opens his eyes. She’s holding him close, crying, repeating his name over and over as if she can somehow save him. She smells like cinnamon and it makes him smile.

“Hey,” he croaks, reaching up to touch her mouth. Then then black magic jabs him again and his fists clench. _Not yet you bastard._

“It’s going to be okay,” she murmurs, eyes wild. “We’ll fix this, you and me. And Henry will remember you, and—”

“It's too late, Emma.” The words are dragged out of him, and he tries to smile. He doesn’t want to say it, but she has to let him go. “I made a deal I didn’t understand. You’d think I’d have learned.”

It’s the ghost of a smile, but it’s enough. God, she’s beautiful.

“Just hang in there. Please, Neal. Henry—”

Henry. He’ll never have a chance to prove that New York bagels are the best or see him grow up or—

There’s a tightness around his chest and he can’t breathe properly. He’s choking.

“No! Neal—” Her hand is on his chest, pulsing with light magic, and he feels the pressure ease up.

With an effort, he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out the keychain – Emma’s keychain. The one he’s carried with him since she gave it back to him. The one that makes him feel like she’s always there. The one that reminds him they found each other again, no matter where that might lead. He raises his hand and the action sends a million needles shooting through the limb. He hates magic.

“Emma,” he whispers, and presses the keychain into her hand. “Find Tallahassee... Even if it's without me.”

Her fingers close over it and the tears are pouring down her face. She keeps shaking her head and against all odds, he finds the strength to smile. He loves that stubbornness.

“Hey. I'll be—I’ll be watching over you guys from somewhere. Just promise me—” He breaks off, choking. _Not yet, dammit. She’s not the only one who’s stubborn._ “Promise me you'll both be happy.” He turns his head and looks at his papa. His papa kneeling next to him, looking like he’s aged a thousand years. “I—I love you, papa.”

Then he can’t fight it anymore, not on his own. He lets go and the muck swallows him.

~*~

In her arms, Neal falls still.

“Neal! No no no no…”

Every oath she’s ever known, many of them Neal’s, comes out in a vicious string that leaves Rumpelstiltskin looking shocked despite his grief.

Neal can’t leave her. Not now. Not again. Not when—

_Dead is dead._

_Is it?_

Before she can think better of it, she bends over and kisses him.

Nothing happens.

Light explodes.

Pure and white, it shoots out from her—them—so dazzling it’s blinding. There’s a howl, the deranged, dying sound, of something that didn’t get its way.

And then it’s gone and everything is as it was.

Neal surges upright, gasping. “What the hell—” He looks at her, then at his father. “I thought dead was dead?”

Rumple smiles, though he looks desperately stunned. “Apparently not.”

Neal’s gaze swings back to her. “You. Kissed. Me.”

She swallows, suddenly terrified. There’s so much baggage, so much pain, so many misunderstandings. But he’s alive. And maybe, just _maybe—_ She can’t stop crying. “Yes. Yes, I did.”

He grins and reaches for her. “Well thank god it wasn’t a monkey.”

She closes the gap, almost smashing her mouth over his. He laughs against her, and she tastes his warmth, the promise. The laugh breaks from her, clear and free and giddy, and crystals of light glimmer around all three of them.

For the first time she believes they have a fighting chance.

**Author's Note:**

> Since a) apparently dead is NOT dead if this show’s continuity is to be believed, b)TLK is the most powerful thing in the world, and c) Snow & Charming can cheat death by splitting a heart, I say there’s no reason that Neal is permanently dead. So I fixed it. *grin* 
> 
> Also, see #nealcassidyweek on tumblr from March 29 - April 4. Lots of good stuff for Neal lovers :)


End file.
